


Singularity

by ColorsofaYinYang



Series: mcyt fics [4]
Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Extra Author Commentary, Found Family, Gen, Immortals, Just Touch-Starved Things, Loneliness, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Swearing, Wordcount: 5.000-10.000, sbi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-26
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:42:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29715285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorsofaYinYang/pseuds/ColorsofaYinYang
Summary: Despite not having any control over his time-jumping powers, Tommy somehow manages to find himself two older brothers, a father-figure, and a best friend.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Skeppy/Badboyhalo, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Wilbur Soot & Technoblade & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, hinted CaptainPuffy/Niki | Nihachu, hinted Dream/GeorgeNotFound/Sapnap
Series: mcyt fics [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2130342
Comments: 10
Kudos: 129





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For the February giftswap exchange on the Creator's Corner server! Check it out if you're interested in participating in future giftswaps and challenges: https://discord.gg/Pzkt5QVDwT.
> 
> This one is for Melon, and the prompts were SBI family dynamic, Skephalo and TommyInnit time travel au. 
> 
> FYI none of the SBI, Tubbo, or Fundy are related in this fic. Found family only!

Tommy’s not really sure when he was born. The early years of his life were nothing but a blur of colors and sounds, hopping between time periods so quickly he could barely even register that he was a living, conscious person. Later on his powers slowed enough that he had a few minutes in-between jumps. Those are some of his earliest memories: a city on fire, watching the sunrise from the tallest tree in the jungle, wandering aimlessly through a crowd of people shouting prices and item names.

Recently he’s gotten enough control that he can stay in a single period for hours at a time. His record is a little less than 6 hours, spent with a winged man in a red sweater who asked for his assistance with a prank. It had been so much fun, and he’d love to do something like that again, but it’s exhausting to resist the inevitable tug of the timestream for that long as it seeks to whisk him away. Much easier to let his power do what it wants, to ignore his own desires.

No matter how lonely he may be.

In the meantime, he hangs out with villagers, stealing potatoes from their farms, and swims with the dolphins. He explores the cities and spies on the civilians, cackling as he empties a bucket of water over two boys walking down the street. The one with glasses just stands there looking like a drenched cat, while his dark-haired friend cusses and starts to chase Tommy down. It’s worth the shocked look on their faces when he sticks his tongue out and blips out of existence into the next timeline, even if he’ll never get to prank them again. The probability of getting sent back to the same time is so miniscule it may as well be impossible.

That’s why he decides not to get too attached to anyone. There are opportunities, of course, such as the time he meets a demon in a cave long before any humans have started to settle. The foul-mouthed creature hisses profanity at him and pouts when he laughs at its nubby horns, only perking up when he offers it a diamond in exchange for a place to rest in-between jumps. Demons live for a long time, so it’s possible they could meet again, but by the time Tommy decides that maybe they should be friends he’s already being plonked into another time.

Objects are much better than people anyway. He can carry them from timeline to timeline, and as long as he doesn’t lose them they’ll be with him forever. He takes comfort in his growing collection of trinkets, souvenirs from experiences long past that can remind him of what he’s been through.

He vaguely remembers encountering a fellow time traveller a long, long time ago who had carried a book of memories with him, saying that it helped him organize the chaos that was time-jumping. It’s a cool idea, but Tommy does not enjoy writing, and it’s not like there are any important memories he needs to remember anyway. And besides, with the way that person had looked around with a haunted look in their eyes, it didn’t seem like the book was helping them too much anyway.

~

His first major encounter with the Foundation is an intimidating one. He pops into existence somewhere between 900 and 600 BD, at the foot of an erupting volcano. Ash spews into the air, dark clouds billowing higher, and as he chokes and squints through the haze a figure descends from the peak.

Curling, sharp-tipped horns and a crisp suit are the first things he sees. The man raises an eyebrow at him and settles in front of him, backlit by the searing orange glow of lava. “Well, well, well. Tommy Innit?”

“Who the fuck are you?” Tommy blurts, half-confused, half-terrified. The man smiles slowly.

“J. Schlatt. Schlatt for short. I run a group called the Foundation. We keep the timeline in order.” He pulls a golden coin from his pocket and starts flipping it casually. “I’ve been keeping an eye on you. Finally started to get a hold on your powers, have you?”

Tommy eyes him warily. “Yeah, what’s it to you?” 

“Well, there are a few rules you should know before you go breaking them. The main ones being: no experimenting with paradoxes, no killing other time travellers. No messing with lottery numbers, for the love of Notch. And, most importantly-” he looks Tommy directly in the eyes- “No bringing others with you.”

The ground shudders beneath his feet and a fresh wave of lava bubbles down the side of the mountain. “W-what happens if someone breaks those rules?” Tommy asks quietly.

Schlatt’s eyes narrow. “Foundation Hunters will be dispatched,” he says airily. “And they will stop at nothing to hunt you down.” Schlatt leans down, his horns inches from Tommy’s juglar. He smells like smoke and whiskey. “Don’t be an idiot,” he murmurs. “I know you’re a troublemaker, but it’s in your best interest to follow these rules.” A hand comes to rest on his head and Tommy barely manages to not flinch as it ruffles his hair. “Understood?”

“You got it, bruv,” Tommy responds, trying to cover up his nervousness with shaky confidence. Schlatt nods, satisfied, and flips his coin one last time before popping out of existence. Envious of his control, Tommy quickly mines a few blocks and creates a tower just as the lava reaches his feet, left to his own thoughts as he coughs on the ash and waits for the time stream to take him away.

So the Foundation is scary, but they seem content to leave Tommy be so long as he stays out of their way. He continues his journey, wandering through the fabric of space-time, acutely aware of how alone he is.

He’s burning bright, a singularity in the middle of the void. What use is there for light if there is no one around to bear witness to it?

~

The man in the bucket hat changes everything.

When Tommy phases into existence behind him, he only glances up once giving him a friendly smile and turning back to his ender chest. “Heya Tommy,” he greets. “Techno and Wil just left to play Bedwars. If you go now you can probably catch up to them.”

There are a lot of confusing things in that statement, but Tommy focuses on the main one. “How do you know who I am?” 

The man pauses, closes his ender chest and brushes himself off as he stands up. His wings extend and flap a little to counterbalance his weight, the glossy black feathers catching Tommy’s attention almost instantly. “This is your first time meeting me, isn’t it?” he asks. When Tommy nods in response he hums understandingly. “I see. Wow, kinda forget this day was even coming if I’m being honest.” He pulls out a book and quill to jot something down, then hands Tommy the book. “Here, take a look. I’ve known you for a long time, believe it or not. We’ve been working on learning how to control your powers. You’ve made really good progress, as far as I can tell.”

Inside the book is a list of dates, with small notes attached to each one that say things like “controlled jumping, pt.2” and “12 hours max, how to get more time?” Past that, there’s a paragraph of numbers and statistics in different handwriting that makes Tommy’s brain fuzz over, it’s so complicated. 

“So you can help me control the jumping?” He hands it back and pretends to understand what the hell is going on. The man nods and exchanges the book for a pearly blue colored disc.

“Yep, pretty much. I know you probably don’t have much time, considering this is early on in our lessons, so take this. It’ll work as our focus object for the time being. If you concentrate on it, it’ll help you find your way back to me. Wil or I can explain the science of it at a later time.” Tommy traces the edge of the new disc with a curious finger. “Oh yeah, I’m Phil, by the way. Pleasure to meet you for the hundredth time.”

Tommy looks at him, notices the blonde locks tipped with grey and the kind wrinkles under his eyes, takes in the mess scattered about the house: sheet music spewn across the table, half-folded t-shirts lying on the sofa, glass bottles full of honey and other colorful concoctions lined up on the counter, and thinks  _ have we really met a hundred times?  _

It seems impossible. The odds are so unlikely. But if what he’s saying is true, and Tommy  _ has  _ managed to wrangle his powers into something resembling control, then… perhaps it’s not so improbable after all. 

He opens his mouth, about to voice all the questions buzzing through his mind, but the telltale static starts to fuzz around the edges of his vision and in the blink of an eye, he’s somewhere new. Frustrated, he kicks the sand at his feet and yells at the sun burning overhead, startling a rabbit nearby. He punches a cactus impulsively, hissing at the feeling of its needles biting into his flesh. He was  _ this  _ close to getting answers! Why does life have to be so unfair!

After a few minutes of stewing in his own emotions he flops down in the sand and pulls the new disc from his pocket. The sun glints off its edges, the powder-blue strip around its center sparkling like lapis. He’s never heard of an object being tied to a person before, but he supposes it’s worth a shot. Shrugging, he closes his eyes and tries to focus on the feeling of the ridges under his fingertips and the smell of vinyl tickling his nose. 

Maybe, if he concentrates hard enough…

~

It takes over 2 days in his time and 50-plus jumps, but he finally manages to do it. When he closes his eyes and focuses on the disc, he can feel a slight tugging sensation, and when he pulls on the connection he feels himself start to fade away. Exhausted, he fizzles into existence on the peak of an icy mountain, very nearly toppling over the edge before someone pulls him back.

“Who the hell are you,” a low monotone voice asks. He whirls around to find a man with long pink hair, pointed ears and tusks staring warily at him. A diamond sword glints dangerously at his waist.

“Tommy!” Phil’s voice greets them from above. The sound of wings flapping is heard as he swoops in, landing skillfully next to them. “That was a close call, good catch Techno.” The piglin hybrid, Techno, releases the strong grip he had on Tommy’s upper arm and huffs, breath visible in the freezing air.

“You know this kid, Phil?” 

“‘M not a kid,” Tommy mumbles in protest. “‘M a big man.” He shivers intensely, the thin fabric of his t-shirt not doing much to keep out the cold. Techno seems to notice this and undoes the clasp of his cape before draping it over Tommy’s shoulders, the fur at the bottom dragging over the snow with how oversized it is on him. “Oh- thanks,” Tommy says, blinking in surprise.

“Don’t mention it.” Techno turns and walks away without a glance back. “You gonna come inside or what?” 

The stronghold is surprisingly warm inside, despite being made mostly of stone bricks. It seems like someone’s put some sort of insulation in the walls that keeps the heat in. Blue-and-white flags adorn the walls, and when Tommy asks about them Phil says they’re for something called the ‘Antarctic Empire.’ 

The tips of his hair aren’t grey, and he doesn’t have the same wisened atmosphere about him as before, so Tommy assumes it’s earlier in the timeline. “Here you go mate.” Phil hands him a bottle of apple juice, his favorite. “Best to keep your energy up, right?”

Taking a swig of his apple juice, Tommy sits on the counter and pulls the cape tighter around himself. “I can’t believe this thing actually worked,” he says, holding up the disc. “I thought you were making shit up when you told me about it.”

Techno raises an eyebrow and glances at Phil. “So this is the time traveller you told me about,” he says. “Guess I’ll be seeing a lot more of you in the future.”

“What number meeting is this for you, Tommy? It sounds like it’s pretty early for you.” Tommy tells him that it’s only the second time they’ve met and Phil’s eyes light up. “Ooh, gotcha.” He jots some stuff down in the book, which looks significantly newer than before. “Alright, you’ve probably got questions, let’s hear them.”

“Yeah, uh, who is he?” He points at Techno, who crosses his arms and frowns. “Also, how do I get better at jumping on command? Because it took me forever to find you.”

“This is Technoblade, founder of our nation. Also a really great fighter, or so I’m told,” Phil says with a smile directed towards the man in question. 

Techno nonchalantly unsheathes his sword and starts polishing it, the enchantments glowing violet around the edges. “Violence is the only language I’m fluent in,” he drawls. Then he pauses and adds, “Except English.”

Phil snorts. “As for your other question, I think practice and experience are the main things. Maybe if you try with a secondary focus that might help. Techno, you have any discs you can lend him, seeing as you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together?”

The piglin hybrid strokes his chin as he thinks, then goes over to the chest in the corner and rummages around inside. He produces a rust-colored disc from within, its center glinting like gold. “This is my favorite. Don’t worry about returning it, I have lots of copies.”

“If you can focus on both of those at once, they might help you pinpoint wherever we are in the time continuum a bit better. Just follow the pull.” The drone of planes roaring overhead interrupts them, along with a slew of frantic pings from Phil and Techno’s communicators. Phil takes a glance at the screen and grimaces. “Ooh… that’s not good.”

“Stay here,” Techno orders, and goes to put on some diamond armor. Phil grabs a crossbow from a chest and starts loading it up. 

“We’ve got company,” he tells Tommy. “Pete’s bringing them down right now. Take these-” he shoves a handful of ender pearls and an invisibility potion into Tommy’s arms. “Use them and get the hell out of here if they find you, okay?” 

A loud crash sounds above them, the shriek of cold metal against ice and then the boom of an explosion. Techno readies his own crossbow and exchanges glances with Phil. “These fools think they can take us down. Let’s show them the might of the Antarctic Empire.”

~

Despite the fleet of enemies swarming their base, the battle is over in a manner of minutes. 

Techno dances around the battlefield with his sword in hand, flurries of snow kicking up with every step. His cape flares up as he turns and effortlessly parries an attack, his opponent crumpling and disappearing as he sends them back to spawn. Pete, who’s injured, takes cover near the entrance of the base, while Phil rains down arrows from above as he flies to cover his teammates. 

Tommy’s never seen anything quite like it. The two warriors return to where Pete and him are waiting, Techno’s mask streaked with blood and Phil’s feathers wind-ruffled, and Tommy just can’t hold back. “Holy shit!” he cries. “That was awesome! Techno, like, 5v1-ed them!”

“Eh.” The piglin hybrid shrugs. “It could have been cleaner.” He stoops to pick a loose ender pearl up off the ground when a sickening  _ thwoop  _ sound is heard. Tommy watches in horror as the arrow embeds itself through Techno’s chest, having gotten in at just the right angle through his chestplate, and he collapses in a heap in the snow.

Tommy freezes, his heart leaping into his throat.  _ His body’s not disappearing. It’s not dissolving. That means it’s a canon life-  _ He drops the cape surrounding him and rushes down the cliff towards them, nearly slipping in his haste. There’s a small trickle of blood staining the snow red where Techno has fallen. Panicked, he reaches out, and just as he’s about to shake him and tell him to wake up-

-the static takes him away, and he ends up in a room full of polished spruce and ticking clocks. Tears pool unshed in the corners of his eyes as he looks around wildly, not quite registering what just happened.

There’s a man sitting on the bed, chestnut brown curls and a yellow sweater. He hums and looks up from his guitar. “Hey, Toms, I-” He blinks, seeming to notice Tommy’s distressed state. “Uh oh. Hey, what’s wrong?” With nimble fingers he folds his circular glasses and sets them aside, then pats the bed beside him. 

Tommy doesn’t know him, but he knows Tommy, and that’s good enough for now. He walks forward and lets the stranger embrace him, rubbing his back and murmuring comfort into his ear. The repetitive ticking of the clocks around them and the soothing stroking of his hair eventually calms Tommy down enough that he can think properly.  _ Phil had mentioned Techno before, and that was in the future for sure, so there’s no way Techno is completely dead. Even if that was a canon life, he must have at least one more. So he’s fine.  _ At least, Tommy hopes so.

Calmer now, the blonde musters the courage to ask, “Who are you?” The stranger raises an eyebrow in confusion, then understanding dawns in his eyes.

“Ah. This is our first time meeting?” Tommy nods. “In that case…”

“I’m Wilbur.”

~

When Tommy explains why he was so distraught, Wilbur laughs at him.

“Techno’s fine,” he waves it off, ignoring the irritated glare Tommy sends him. “You want to know how I know?”

“Yes, I do in fact want to know. Bitch.”

Wilbur rolls his eyes. “Technoblade never dies,” he says. “He physically can’t. If he reaches the point of death, his body regenerates itself. That’s why he didn’t disappear when you saw him get shot.” He continues, “You don’t have to worry about Phil, either. He’s immortal. He does only have one life, but he’s been alive for so long he knows how to take care of himself. Plus he has Techno to throw himself in the way of any danger.”

“What about you?”

Wilbur’s lip quirks, as though he’s recalling something distasteful. “You don’t have to worry about me, either,” he says. “I used to work for the Foundation. I’ve seen it all.” He reaches over and ruffles Tommy’s hair, casual as though he’s done it a million times before. It’s nice. Tommy’s never really been around someone long enough for them to feel comfortable doing that. “Plus, I worked for them long enough that I got the perk of being removed from the time stream. So Phil, Techno and I? We’re not going anywhere.”

There’s the sound of tapping on glass, and then a messy brown head peeks over the windowsill from outside. “Tommy!” A young kid tumbles through the window, instantly running over to tackle him in a hug. He barely reaches Tommy’s waist.

“Oh, Tubbo,” Wilbur greets with a smile. “Actually, this is Tommy’s first time meeting you!”

The kid blinks up at him with wide blue eyes. “Whoa, no way! Wait here-” And he dashes out the door. Tommy gives Wilbur a look, trying to convey  _ why the hell was there a six-year old hugging me  _ to him.

The older man shakes his head fondly. “That’s Tubbo. You two are best friends in the future, or so you’ve told us.”  _ He has a best friend? _ The shock must show on his face because Wilbur shrugs. “I’m sure when he’s older you two will get along great.”

Tubbo runs back into the room with a disc tucked under his arm. “Here! This is for you.” He presents it to Tommy, the lime-green strip in the center catching his eye. “You told me it helps you find me,” the brunette explains shyly. “So if I give this to you now, we can hang out more, right?”

“Uh… yeah!” Tommy replies, not too stoked about making promises to a toddler. Pleased, Tubbo flops onto the bed and curls up with Wilbur’s blanket. A lightbulb seems to go on above Wilbur’s head at the same moment, and he rummages through the nightstand drawer for something.

“That reminds me, here is my disc as well,” he says, handing Tommy a purple-lavender striped one. “I hope you don’t have to carry too many of these things around, I know I would lose them almost immediately.”

When Tommy moves to put his disc into his bag Tubbo peeks inside curiously. “Aww, you don’t have Chirp yet,” he complains, disappointed. “That one’s my favorite.” Then he reaches up and tugs on Tommy’s sleeve to catch his attention. “Hey, Tommy, can we play Animal Crossing?” 

“Remember, Tubbo, this is pretty early for him so he might be too tired to play-”

“I’ll play,” Tommy interrupts, crouching down to Tubbo’s eye level. He’s not sure what compels him to do so. Young kids are… really not his thing. But Tubbo seems easy enough to get along with, and he  _ does  _ like Animal Crossing… 

Wilbur raises an eyebrow, then shrugs. “Alright, whatever you say. Just try to keep it down, alright? George and I have a project to finish.”

Tommy and Tubbo stick out their tongues at the same time, then turn to each other and start laughing.  _ Oh, great,  _ Wilbur thinks.  _ They’re starting their rebellious phase early. _

~

So Tommy practices and takes notes (mentally, not physically, because only  _ nerds _ do that) and eventually he gains enough control over his powers to be able to jump on command. He learns that there’s an order when he focuses on the discs that can help him make it back to a specific time. Wait always goes first because Phil’s been alive for forever, and it doesn’t really help to narrow down the time at all but it does help space-wise. Then Pigstep: the rhythmic beat trudging along helps him locate Techno’s aura, starting somewhere around 200 BD. Mellohi comes next, since Wilbur stays pretty much in L’Manberg, only straying from its boundaries after the country falls into ruin. Finally, he follows Cat if he wants to see Tubbo. The kid is the only one of the four that has a mortal lifespan, and thus he’s the hardest of the bunch to pinpoint.

Not that Tubbo is a kid in all of their encounters… In fact, he’s older than Tommy most visits. He’s still shorter, though, a point that Tommy finds much amusement in drawing attention to. When he’s not training with Techno, helping out Philza or learning about quantum time theory from Wilbur, he’s hanging out with Tubbo. The brunette loves hearing stories about his travels, from his attempt to visit the beginning of the universe to the time when he fell out of a tree trying to chase an ocelot. In return, Tubbo tells him all about what it’s like to live in L’Manberg, how his day has been, and takes the initiative to introduce him to all the citizens he knows.

Sam is a builder, and he shows Tommy the many creations he’s made around the city with a beaming grin. Punz lends him a trident once when it rains and watches him as he zips from pool to pool. Skeppy lets them help with a city-wide troll that ends with them running from a very peeved man in a Sonic onesie. Antfrost and his boyfriend Velvet show them the animal sanctuary they run, and they get to spend the day surrounded by cats and dogs.

George and Sapnap feel familiar, but Tommy can’t quite put his finger on why. They spend a lot of time at Wilbur’s place so he sees them often; George seems to have an interest in learning about time jumping, while Sapnap is less focused on the theory than on the practice itself. Both of them are nice to him in a detached, older-person kind of way.

Then they introduce him to Dream, and everything starts to go downhill.

The masked man has an aura about him that intimidates the hell out of Tommy. It’s scarily similar to Schlatt’s. Things click when Dream introduces himself as a member of the Foundation. The distorted, trembling feel of his aura… it must have something to do with the way they jump from timeline to timeline.

Absently, Tommy wonders what his aura must feel like to others.

“I see you’ve been hanging around here a lot,” Dream comments. No one else seems to notice the tension between them. “You know, I’m a Hunter. Should I be worried about you breaking the rules?”

“Pshh, don’t remind me there’s rules or I’ll be tempted to break them.” Tommy meets his gaze with a defiant stare. Behind the mask, Dream huffs.

“Fine, long as you know. We were going to see a movie, so I’ll finish this talk with you later, ‘kay?” He grabs both of his friends’ hands and leads them down the street, George and Sapnap bickering behind his back.

So maaaaybe Tommy thinks a little more about breaking the rules after that encounter. Sue him, he’s never been good with authority. Looking at Tubbo, he can’t help but feel the impulse to take his hand and show him all the different places he’s visited, the ones that make his eyes go wide and his mouth hang open as he listens avidly. Plus, if he took Tubbo with him, he’d be removed from the time stream and wouldn’t die of old age. It’s tempting, so tempting, just a little step-

But no. Tubbo belongs in this time, in this place. To take him away from the home he knows best, even for a little while… it wouldn’t be right. Plus, he’d be in danger because of the Hunters like Dream.

Yeah, it’s better if he follows the rules. At least for now.

~

Despite his growing control, there’s still a time limit to how long Tommy can stay in one place at a time, and sometimes he doesn’t have enough focus to direct himself to a specific place. So once, when he fades out and in again, he finds himself at the end of the universe.

It would almost be mistakable for the beginning if it weren’t for the crumbling ruins dotting the landscape, white concrete and cyan terracotta falling apart around bits of scaffolding. There’s only two auras Tommy can sense nearby, so he follows the trail to a small cottage in the woods.

The face that greets him at the door is a familiar one. “Oh! Tommy! Come in, come in!” It’s the demon he met a long, long time ago. He looks… less dangerous than before. Confused, he wanders inside. The interior is much larger than what the exterior would suggest. “It’s been a while since we had guests, as you can probably tell…”

Sitting at the kitchen table is another familiar face. Skeppy looks older; there are chips littering his body, and some parts have become cloudier than others. Nevertheless, he greets Tommy with the same mischievous smile he had back in L’Manberg. 

“What the fuck,” Tommy says.

“Language!” The demon chides, and isn’t that hilarious. He used to swear so much, and Tommy tells Skeppy this. The diamond-hybrid doubles over laughing and the demon pouts from where he’s perched on the table.

“Aww, don’t be angry, Bad,” Skeppy says after he’s finished giggling. He leans over and presses a kiss to the corner of the demon’s mouth. Tommy stares awkwardly as he blushes red and buries his face in his hands.

“What is going on,” he interrupts. “Why are you here? And for that matter,” he turns to Bad, “why are  _ you  _ here? Aren’t demons supposed to, y’know, hate humans?”

Bad uncovers his face and smiles gently, sending such a tender and fond look toward Skeppy that Tommy almost time jumps then and there to stop himself from third-wheeling. “Some people are worth breaking the rules for,” he murmurs. 

And doesn’t that just sum up his dilemma perfectly.

~

In the end, he doesn’t actually mean to break the rules. It just sort of happens.

The five of them are sitting and eating their steak dinner when an explosion startles them from their seats. Rushing outside, Techno squints up at the sky and grits his teeth as a second explosion echoes through the city, TNT raining from above. Tubbo hides behind Phil and Wilbur, who are both frozen stiff in shock. Panicking, Tommy thinks about what he’s seen in the future, the state of the city, decimated to a crater in the ground from the war. This must be the cause of that.

There’s a hissing sound from above, and a pack of TNT lands directly in front of them. There’s no time to think. Techno shouts and raises his shield; Phil winces and pulls Wilbur and Tubbo behind him. Tommy reaches out his hand and winds the threads of their auras together, clutching onto them with a desperate fist.

And he yanks.

The world explodes in a plume of dirt and stone, then they’re laying startled on the ground, mycelium dusting their clothes with fine powder. Colorful buildings surround them, and the largest pile of diamond blocks Tommy’s ever seen sits on a large pedestal nearby.

Tubbo groans and holds his head in one hand, taking in the environment. Then the four of them look at Tommy. 

“Oh Notch,” Wilbur mutters, his eyes wide and frantic. “Uh… Now what do we do?”

~

They explore the island, since there’s not much else they can do. All the buildings seem to be shops, each with a distinct personality. There’s a little raft in a pond, a bookshelf-inspired building, even a honeypot-styled shop made with honey blocks.

It’s about an hour later when someone shows up.

“Tommy.” That voice makes his blood run cold. They turn to see Dream standing there, netherite-black axe glinting menacingly. Techno makes to step between them, but Phil holds him back. “Listen. I like you. But rules are rules.” He lowers his stance, ready to strike. “I’ll make it quick.”

Quickly, Tommy grabs hold of everyone’s auras once again and tugs them to a new time, depositing them in the middle of a field of sunflowers. Techno and Phil draw swords while Tubbo fumbles with his crossbow, and everyone is tense until Wilbur speaks up.

“He’s hunting us, but he won’t be able to find us for a while after we jump. No one at the Foundation studies aura tracking. Schlatt thinks it’s stupid.” He crosses his arms and heaves a sigh. “So, what’s the plan?”

“We can’t stay in one place too long,” Phil starts, grim determination furrowing his brow. “But Tommy can’t keep jumping with us, either. It takes too much energy. What we need is a place to hunker down while we think of a way to get back into the Foundation’s good graces.”

Wilbur hums. “I know a guy. He’s a savant when it comes to time shenanigans. I’m sure he can come up with something. Here,” he hands Tommy another disc, this one striped with a brown-brick color. “Follow the trail to him.”

Closing his eyes, Tommy feels for the aura surrounding the disc and lets it tug him in the direction of its owner. Several seconds later, the warmth of the sun beaming down on them is replaced with the chill of a cave, and the sound of machines whirring.

“Wil? What are you doing here, I thought you got kicked out?” An orange-haired man drops down from some scaffolding overhead, fox ears twitching in confusion.

“Yeah, about that… Fundy, do you think you could help us out a bit? We’ve got a serious problem, and we need a pocket time made. Preferably one with security measures.”

The fox-hybrid glances over their ragtag group, dusts off his hands and sighs. “Alright, give me the specs.”

~

To throw Dream off their trail, Tommy takes Techno and Wilbur with him as they make their way across timelines, leaving Phil and Tubbo behind to work with Fundy. They jump from era to era, spanning centuries with each move. One second they’re at the edge of a coral reef, taking in the salty breeze, the next they’re overlooking a vast striped mesa. 

They come into contact with their hunter every so often, and it’s clear that Dream is frustrated with them constantly giving him the slip because he complains loudly even as he’s shooting arrows and bounding through the trees after them. Wilbur drops TNT in his path to get him off their tail, while Tommy uses a bow to try and hit him from afar. Techno goes so far as to challenge him to a 1v1 and manages to defeat him, leaving him sulking in the middle of the arena and staring at the clock as he upholds his promise to give them a two hour headstart.

The chase feels like it’s neverending, and it’s exhausting. They always have to be one step ahead, have to be able to get into Dream’s mindset and think  _ what would he do?  _ Tommy can’t get the metallic sweetness of golden carrots out of his mouth from how many they’ve eaten in a bid to keep their stamina up. So it feels like a miracle when they drop by Fundy’s place to check in on the progress and he announces that the time bubble is finally complete.

“It’s like a little snapshot in time,” he explains, wringing his hands nervously. “Phil said you’re using discs as focus objects, so I tuned this one to the bubble. It’s the only key in and out, so you need to keep it safe.” He hands Tommy a disc striped with bright red that hums soothingly in his hands.

Seeing all the expectant and hopeful looks everyone is giving him, Tommy focuses on the disc and prepares to jump. But just as he’s about to let the aura tug him away, a loud crash sounds from outside the cave. 

A torn green sweatshirt and a cracked mask are the first things he sees. Then a pair of smudged white glasses and a dirtied headband. Dream raises a sheepish and guilty hand from where he’s supporting his two exhausted friends. “Fundy, we need your help too.”

Fundy pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs heavier than an elephant.

~

“I love them. I couldn’t just leave them.” Sapnap pats Dream’s shoulder comfortingly as he explains what happened while George rests on the couch beside them. Tommy glares at them.

“You’re a fucking hypocrite, y’know that?” 

Wilbur claps a hand over his mouth and butts in. “What happened to your loyalty to the Foundation, then?”

Dream shakes his head. “Schlatt's gone unstable. He’s slashed everyone’s pay, he’s paranoid all the time and his alcohol intake’s gone through the roof. I think after he overthrew you as the director his whole cabinet turned against him.” 

Everyone turns to look at Wilbur. “Wait, you were the Director of the Foundation?” Tubbo squeaks. “Why didn’t you tell us that?” 

Wilbur’s eyes darken and he looks away. “It wasn’t a very good time for me, if I’m being honest.” He pauses, takes a contemplative breath. “But if Schlatt is weak, then maybe it’s our time to strike. We can take him down, then we won’t have to worry about any other Hunters coming after us.” He looks Dream in the eyes. “Do you have any insiders you can contact to let them know our plan?”

The blonde nods. “Yeah, a few. For now, we should keep a low profile, stay in the bubble. Who knows how many Hunters they’ll send after us now. Not that we need to worry about them too much,” he smirks cockily. “I was the best, anyway.”

“And I still beat your ass,” Techno drawls. 

Dream’s back straightens like a hissy cat. “That fight could have gone both ways, you just got lucky!” George mumbles something in his sleep and smacks Dream in the face with his arm to get him to quiet down. “After this is all over, I want a rematch,” the blonde demands in a more hushed voice.

Techno snorts and offers his hand. “Deal.” They shake on it, then Phil speaks up.

“Well, let’s check out this time bubble then, shall we?”

~

The bubble is made of an amalgamation of memories sewn haphazardly together into an image of L’Manberg. It feels similar to a dream with the way the environment feels just the tiniest bit off from real life. There’s a lack of detail to the roads, the trees, that makes it feel engineered and artificial. Still, it is home, and everyone seems happy enough to be back.

There’s a familiar bench set up so it’s overlooking the edge of the bubble, staring out into the vast emptiness of time, and Tommy finds Tubbo sitting there gazing into the void contemplatively. The lack of wind is strange, but the image he makes is a serene and peaceful one.

“I never thought I’d actually get to see all these different timelines,” Tubbo says as Tommy moves to sit next to him. The blonde ducks his head, guilty.

“I’m… sorry,” he mutters. The words are hard to get out, but they need to be said. “I dragged you all into this.” Tubbo shakes his head and scooches closer.

“You saved our lives. I don’t regret a thing. Besides,” he wraps his arms around Tommy’s torso. “Now you don’t have to be alone anymore.” 

The blonde hesitates for a moment before hugging him back, letting the tension in his arms show his appreciation for him. “Clingy bastard,” he mutters, not meaning it at all.

A hand comes to rest on his shoulder and he turns to see Wilbur standing behind them. “We’re with you, Tommy,” he reassures. “All of us.” Behind him, Techno and Phil nod in confirmation. Wilbur gives them all a malicious smirk. “Let’s level Schlatt's administration to the ground.”

~

The plan goes off without a hitch. 

Dream contacts his double agent, a woman by the name of Puffy, and they start recruiting rebels from the Foundation ranks. Meanwhile, Tommy goes back to visit Bad, who happily accepts the offer to help. “I haven’t used these bad boys in a while,” he comments, pulling out a set of netherite throwing knives. His tail waves excitedly in the air. “Time to spread some chaos!”

With Fundy’s help they manage to make a small hole in the Foundation’s time bubble, and then it’s go time. They rush in and head straight for the Director’s office, dodging flaming arrows and the redstone security as they go. The defenders’ attempts are half-hearted at best; it’s clear that everyone is tired of Schlatt and his shit. Even the yellow-winged secretary takes one look at them and waves them forward, leaning back in his chair with a roll of his eyes. 

There are a few loyal followers that guard the office, but they’re easily taken out. Dream and Techno compete to see how many people they can knock out with their respective weapons, while Bad sends the more aggressive fighters back to spawn with a few well-placed knives. A pink-haired woman joins the fight on their side, and Wilbur calls over to her with a grin. 

“Hey, Niki! Told you I’d be back!” She lowers her sword as they approach and nods seriously. 

“Schlatt’s in the Button Room. Make sure he pays for all the problems he’s caused us.”

The Button Room is as it implies: a room full of buttons, a sort of control panel for the flow of time. Schlatt’s slumped over on the ground, an empty bottle reeking of alcohol in his hand. He looks up at them with an indifferent gaze and grimaces at the sight of Wilbur. “I knew you’d come back eventually, lover boy. You here to finally take my life, or what?”

It’s shocking to see how much he’s deteriorated since their first meeting. No longer is there any trace of the intimidating man who had floated in front of a volcano speaking passive threats into existence. Instead, there is only a sad ram-horned man with a crumpled suit.

Wilbur shakes his head and levels a disappointed stare at him. “We’re not here to kill you,” he says. Techno tilts his head as if to say,  _ ehhhhhh….  _ “We’re here to overthrow you. From now on, you’re no longer the Director.”

Schlatt throws his head back and laughs. “Oh, so you’re taking over again? Do I need to remind you that  _ you’re  _ the one that got voted out? If you become the Director,” he drawls, “You’re no better than me. At least I came into power legitimately.”

Concerned, Tommy nudges Wilbur in the side with his elbow, and the older man looks around at his found family. “I’m not taking the title of Director,” he states with finality in his voice. “Niki is the most experienced here. She’s qualified to take the job.” 

The ram-hybrid points his bottle loosely at Tommy. “I knew you were going to be trouble. Man… Fine, I’m retired now. Do I get a vacation home? A nice quiet beach hut in the Bahamas or something?”

Wilbur sighs and Tommy catches him slipping his backup TNT back into his coat. “I’ll see what I can do.”

~

Niki is instated as the next Director of the Foundation, and she immediately declares the beginning of a new project. The creation of a “Time Hub,” as she calls it, a neutral place for people who have been displaced from the timeline. She hires Fundy to help with its construction and he seems absolutely stoked to be able to put his technology to good use.

Puffy and the duck-winged secretary, Quackity, decide to put their efforts towards developing the Hub and enforcing peace throughout the timelines. And if Puffy starts leaving flowers on the new Director’s desk, well… no one’s going to say anything.

Bad decides to bring Skeppy to the new Time Hub so they can meet other immortals like them. They build a nice mansion and become notorious for pranking the other citizens of the Hub.

Schlatt ends up moving to the Hub too, making a house far away from everyone on a nice tropical beach. He still tries to scam some of the others, never quite losing his business sense, but he stays out of any trouble, claiming that he’s “too old for this shit.”

Dream keeps his job as a Foundation Hunter, but under the new rules he’s only allowed to target actual criminals and threats to the Foundation. He pouts for a while since that means he won’t be getting action very frequently, but he perks up when Niki offers to hire George and Sapnap on as Hunters as well. They quickly form a tightly knit squad called the Dream Team that only gets sent out on the most top-secret missions.

Phil accidentally adopts every new arrival to the Hub, including two lost-looking time travellers by the names of Ranboo and Karl. He builds a community house and spends a lot of his time teaching the younger ones how to craft objects and other things.

Techno gets offered a job at the Foundation, but he turns it down on account of his dislike for structured power. Instead, he trades for one of their time travel devices and starts making a name for himself as a travelling warrior, often visiting the ‘Tournament era’ to hone his skills.

Wilbur continues his studies on time and publishes a few books on it, all of which do decently well but not nearly well enough to justify the time he spent making them. So instead he turns them into songs, and lo and behold they skyrocket to the top of the charts instantly. He also occasionally helps Phil out with teaching the time travellers tips on how to control their powers and other tidbits of information that could prove useful to them.

Tubbo takes inspiration from Wilbur and Fundy and starts doing some research of his own, starting with leadership and bee studies and ending with advanced time-based weapons. No matter how busy he is, though, he always makes time in his week to go on adventures with Tommy or to hang out with him at the bench and listen to Cat.

And Tommy? Tommy decides to make the most out of his powers and begins to collect all sorts of discs to record his travels. Stal, Strad, Ward and Mall all end up in his collection. He visits the empty plains, the house of 7, the mansion cut in two. He meets a slime-hybrid and even goes back to L’Manberg to save more of its citizens, and brings them all back to the Hub. But whenever the loneliness is beginning to creep in, he knows he can always follow the sweet rhythmic tones of Chirp back to the Hub where his family is waiting for him. He can play hide-and-seek with Phil, can have a go at annoying Techno and Wilbur. When he’s tired he can curl up with Tubbo on the couch, tucked cozily away under a blanket.

Surrounded by the people he loves, he knows he is home at last.


	2. Author's Notes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't usually do this, but since this fic is so dense with references I thought I'd do a bit of commentary regarding the decisions I made while writing this :)

**_General notes: The timeline I have for this fic goes a little like this:_ **

  * **_The Early Ages: single-player survival, where it's just wilderness and the occasional village, also Phil's hardcore series_**
  * **_The Challenge Era: small smps, also I threw SMP Earth in there because it happens before dsmp, and videos like Wilbur's "Minecraft but the lava rises every 5 minutes"  
_**
  * **_The Golden Ages: dsmp_**
  * **_The Tournament Era: MCC tournaments and the Twitch Rivals tournament_**
  * **_The Age of Technology: modded smps like Cogchamp, large servers like Hypixel and I threw Hermitcraft in here as well_**



_Tommy’s not really sure when he was born. The early years of his life were nothing but a blur of colors and sounds, hopping between time periods so quickly he could barely even register that he was a living, conscious person. Later on his powers slowed enough that he had a few minutes in-between jumps. Those are some of his earliest memories: a city on fire, watching the sunrise from the tallest tree in the jungle, wandering aimlessly through a crowd of people shouting prices and item names._

**The city on fire is a reference to L'Manberg after its destruction, while the crowd of people shouting prices and item names is a reference to the auctions in Hypixel which are an absolute nightmare.**

_Recently he’s gotten enough control that he can stay in a single period for hours at a time. His record is a little less than 6 hours, spent with a winged man in a red sweater who asked for his assistance with a prank. It had been so much fun, and he’d love to do something like that again, but it’s exhausting to resist the inevitable tug of the timestream for that long as it seeks to whisk him away. Much easier to let his power do what it wants, to ignore his own desires._

**Grian from Hermitcraft would absolutely recruit Tommy to play a prank, no questions asked.**

_No matter how lonely he may be._

_In the meantime, he hangs out with villagers, stealing potatoes from their farms, and swims with the dolphins. He explores the cities and spies on the civilians, cackling as he empties a bucket of water over two boys walking down the street. The one with glasses just stands there looking like a drenched cat, while his dark-haired friend cusses and starts to chase Tommy down. It’s worth the shocked look on their faces when he sticks his tongue out and blips out of existence into the next timeline, even if he’ll never get to prank them again. The probability of getting sent back to the same time is so miniscule it may as well be impossible._

**Yes, those two are George and Sapnap. So when he says later that they look familiar... this incident is what he's remembering.**

_That’s why he decides not to get too attached to anyone. There are opportunities, of course, such as the time he meets a demon in a cave long before any humans have started to settle. The foul-mouthed creature hisses profanity at him and pouts when he laughs at its nubby horns, only perking up when he offers it a diamond in exchange for a place to rest in-between jumps. Demons live for a long time, so it’s possible they could meet again, but by the time Tommy decides that maybe they should be friends he’s already being plonked into another time._

**I love the whole 'Bad used to swear' idea when used in conjunction with him being immortal. Also yes he is pacified by a diamond because I was maaaybe thinking about Skephalo.**

_Objects are much better than people anyway. He can carry them from timeline to timeline, and as long as he doesn’t lose them they’ll be with him forever. He takes comfort in his growing collection of trinkets, souvenirs from experiences long past that can remind him of what he’s been through._

_He vaguely remembers encountering a fellow time traveller a long, long time ago who had carried a book of memories with him, saying that it helped him organize the chaos that was time-jumping. It’s a cool idea, but Tommy does not enjoy writing, and it’s not like there are any important memories he needs to remember anyway. And besides, with the way that person had looked around with a haunted look in their eyes, it didn’t seem like the book was helping them too much anyway._

**I purposefully kept the description of the time traveller vague because I really like the whole time traveller Ranboo headcanon people have, but also Karl is the canon time traveller and he already is pretty nifty. Both have memory books. In the end I decided to just have both of them be time travellers because why not.**

_~_

_His first major encounter with the Foundation is an intimidating one. He pops into existence somewhere between 900 and 600 BD, at the foot of an erupting volcano. Ash spews into the air, dark clouds billowing higher, and as he chokes and squints through the haze a figure descends from the peak._

**The volcano is a reference to Slimecicle's 'Minecraft, but every 5 minutes there's a natural disaster' video which is honestly a classic. Schlatt was so intimidating in that video and I really wanted to channel that energy. Also, BD stands for 'Before DreamXD.'**

_Curling, sharp-tipped horns and a crisp suit are the first things he sees. The man raises an eyebrow at him and settles in front of him, backlit by the searing orange glow of lava. “Well, well, well. Tommy Innit?”_

_“Who the fuck are you?” Tommy blurts, half-confused, half-terrified. The man smiles slowly._

_“J. Schlatt. Schlatt for short. I run a group called the Foundation. We keep the timeline in order.” He pulls a golden coin from his pocket and starts flipping it casually. “I’ve been keeping an eye on you. Finally started to get a hold on your powers, have you?”_

**The whole idea of an organization that watches over the timeline is inspired a bit by the Umbrella Academy. Also yes that coin is a Schlattcoin.**

_Tommy eyes him warily. “Yeah, what’s it to you?”_

_“Well, there are a few rules you should know before you go breaking them. The main ones being: no experimenting with paradoxes, no killing other time travellers. No messing with lottery numbers, for the love of Notch. And, most importantly-” he looks Tommy directly in the eyes- “No bringing others with you.”_

_The ground shudders beneath his feet and a fresh wave of lava bubbles down the side of the mountain. “W-what happens if someone breaks those rules?” Tommy asks quietly._

_Schlatt’s eyes narrow. “Foundation Hunters will be dispatched,” he says airily. “And they will stop at nothing to hunt you down.” Schlatt leans down, his horns inches from Tommy’s juglar. He smells like smoke and whiskey. “Don’t be an idiot,” he murmurs. “I know you’re a troublemaker, but it’s in your best interest to follow these rules.” A hand comes to rest on his head and Tommy barely manages to not flinch as it ruffles his hair. “Understood?”_

_“You got it, bruv,” Tommy responds, trying to cover up his nervousness with shaky confidence. Schlatt nods, satisfied, and flips his coin one last time before popping out of existence. Envious of his control, Tommy quickly mines a few blocks and creates a tower just as the lava reaches his feet, left to his own thoughts as he coughs on the ash and waits for the time stream to take him away._

**Pretty sure Tommy only uses 'bruv' ironically so him using it now is a clear indication that he's trying to keep things lighthearted in the face of this scary guy threatening him.**

_So the Foundation is scary, but they seem content to leave Tommy be so long as he stays out of their way. He continues his journey, wandering through the fabric of space-time, acutely aware of how alone he is._

_He’s burning bright, a singularity in the middle of the void. What use is there for light if there is no one around to bear witness to it?_

**" _He’s burning bright, a singularity in the middle of the void" was actually the first line I had for this fic, so it got the honor of becoming the title. It was originally destined for a space/star child au but I never fleshed that one out._**

_~_

_The man in the bucket hat changes everything._

_When Tommy phases into existence behind him, he only glances up once giving him a friendly smile and turning back to his ender chest. “Heya Tommy,” he greets. “Techno and Wil just left to play Bedwars. If you go now you can probably catch up to them.”_

**This is late in the timeline since Phil mentions Bedwars, which would only be established in the Age of Technology.**

_There are a lot of confusing things in that statement, but Tommy focuses on the main one. “How do you know who I am?”_

_The man pauses, closes his ender chest and brushes himself off as he stands up. His wings extend and flap a little to counterbalance his weight, the glossy black feathers catching Tommy’s attention almost instantly. “This is your first time meeting me, isn’t it?” he asks. When Tommy nods in response he hums understandingly. “I see. Wow, kinda forget this day was even coming if I’m being honest.” He pulls out a book and quill to jot something down, then hands Tommy the book. “Here, take a look. I’ve known you for a long time, believe it or not. We’ve been working on learning how to control your powers. You’ve made really good progress, as far as I can tell.”_

_Inside the book is a list of dates, with small notes attached to each one that say things like “controlled jumping, pt.2” and “12 hours max, how to get more time?” Past that, there’s a paragraph of numbers and statistics in different handwriting that makes Tommy’s brain fuzz over, it’s so complicated._

**The first part of the book is written by Phil, a way of keeping track of everything. The second half with the numbers and statistics is written by Wilbur who gives off the mad genius vibe.**

_“So you can help me control the jumping?” He hands it back and pretends to understand what the hell is going on. The man nods and exchanges the book for a pearly blue colored disc._

**Phil was the hardest one to come up with a disc for. I ended up assigning Wait to him because it's a remix of 'Minecraft' which gives me a bit of a nostalgic vibe, and since he's been alive since the beginning of time basically I thought it might be fitting.**

_“Yep, pretty much. I know you probably don’t have much time, considering this is early on in our lessons, so take this. It’ll work as our focus object for the time being. If you concentrate on it, it’ll help you find your way back to me. Wil or I can explain the science of it at a later time.” Tommy traces the edge of the new disc with a curious finger. “Oh yeah, I’m Phil, by the way. Pleasure to meet you for the hundredth time.”_

_Tommy looks at him, notices the blonde locks tipped with grey and the kind wrinkles under his eyes, takes in the mess scattered about the house: sheet music spewn across the table, half-folded t-shirts lying on the sofa, glass bottles full of honey and other colorful concoctions lined up on the counter, and thinks have we really met a hundred times?_

**Since this is late in the timeline I wanted to make Phil seem older. I was going to make his black wings faded grey, but it turns out apparently bird feathers don't grey with age! You learn something new every day. So instead I made his hair start to grey a bit. The sheet music is a reference to Wilbur's presence, the t-shirts are obviously Tommy's, and the potion bottles are a reference to Techno since he seems to be one of the only ones who bothers with potions.**

_It seems impossible. The odds are so unlikely. But if what he’s saying is true, and Tommy has managed to wrangle his powers into something resembling control, then… perhaps it’s not so improbable after all._

_He opens his mouth, about to voice all the questions buzzing through his mind, but the telltale static starts to fuzz around the edges of his vision and in the blink of an eye, he’s somewhere new. Frustrated, he kicks the sand at his feet and yells at the sun burning overhead, startling a rabbit nearby. He punches a cactus impulsively, hissing at the feeling of its needles biting into his flesh. He was this close to getting answers! Why does life have to be so unfair!_

**I wanted to show off a variety of biomes in this fic to emphasize the amount of time jumping Tommy goes through, hence the desert. Also I find it super funny that you can break cactuses in Minecraft by punching them.**

_After a few minutes of stewing in his own emotions he flops down in the sand and pulls the new disc from his pocket. The sun glints off its edges, the powder-blue strip around its center sparkling like lapis. He’s never heard of an object being tied to a person before, but he supposes it’s worth a shot. Shrugging, he closes his eyes and tries to focus on the feeling of the ridges under his fingertips and the smell of vinyl tickling his nose._

_Maybe, if he concentrates hard enough…_

_~_

_It takes over 2 days in his time and 50-plus jumps, but he finally manages to do it. When he closes his eyes and focuses on the disc, he can feel a slight tugging sensation, and when he pulls on the connection he feels himself start to fade away. Exhausted, he fizzles into existence on the peak of an icy mountain, very nearly toppling over the edge before someone pulls him back._

**This scene happens earlier in the timeline, around the Challenge Era during SMP Earth.**

_“Who the hell are you,” a low monotone voice asks. He whirls around to find a man with long pink hair, pointed ears and tusks staring warily at him. A diamond sword glints dangerously at his waist._

**Okay so I wasn't sure if there was netherite or not in SMP Earth so I just gave him diamond.**

_“Tommy!” Phil’s voice greets them from above. The sound of wings flapping is heard as he swoops in, landing skillfully next to them. “That was a close call, good catch Techno.” The piglin hybrid, Techno, releases the strong grip he had on Tommy’s upper arm and huffs, breath visible in the freezing air._

_“You know this kid, Phil?”_

_“‘M not a kid,” Tommy mumbles in protest. “‘M a big man.” He shivers intensely, the thin fabric of his t-shirt not doing much to keep out the cold. Techno seems to notice this and undoes the clasp of his cape before draping it over Tommy’s shoulders, the fur at the bottom dragging over the snow with how oversized it is on him. “Oh- thanks,” Tommy says, blinking in surprise._

**Tommy in Techno's cape :0**

_“Don’t mention it.” Techno turns and walks away without a glance back. “You gonna come inside or what?”_

_The stronghold is surprisingly warm inside, despite being made mostly of stone bricks. It seems like someone’s put some sort of insulation in the walls that keeps the heat in. Blue-and-white flags adorn the walls, and when Tommy asks about them Phil says they’re for something called the ‘Antarctic Empire.’_

_The tips of his hair aren’t grey, and he doesn’t have the same wisened atmosphere about him as before, so Tommy assumes it’s earlier in the timeline. “Here you go mate.” Phil hands him a bottle of apple juice, his favorite. “Best to keep your energy up, right?”_

**Tommy gives me apple juice vibes idk**

_Taking a swig of his apple juice, Tommy sits on the counter and pulls the cape tighter around himself. “I can’t believe this thing actually worked,” he says, holding up the disc. “I thought you were making shit up when you told me about it.”_

_Techno raises an eyebrow and glances at Phil. “So this is the time traveller you told me about,” he says. “Guess I’ll be seeing a lot more of you in the future.”_

_“What number meeting is this for you, Tommy? It sounds like it’s pretty early for you.” Tommy tells him that it’s only the second time they’ve met and Phil’s eyes light up. “Ooh, gotcha.” He jots some stuff down in the book, which looks significantly newer than before. “Alright, you’ve probably got questions, let’s hear them.”_

_“Yeah, uh, who is he?” He points at Techno, who crosses his arms and frowns. “Also, how do I get better at jumping on command? Because it took me forever to find you.”_

_“This is Technoblade, founder of our nation. Also a really great fighter, or so I’m told,” Phil says with a smile directed towards the man in question._

_Techno nonchalantly unsheathes his sword and starts polishing it, the enchantments glowing violet around the edges. “Violence is the only language I’m fluent in,” he drawls. Then he pauses and adds, “Except English.”_

**This quote from Techno manifested in my brain, it might be inspired by the line he says in the Pit?**

_Phil snorts. “As for your other question, I think practice and experience are the main things. Maybe if you try with a secondary focus that might help. Techno, you have any discs you can lend him, seeing as you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together?”_

_The piglin hybrid strokes his chin as he thinks, then goes over to the chest in the corner and rummages around inside. He produces a rust-colored disc from within, its center glinting like gold. “This is my favorite. Don’t worry about returning it, I have lots of copies.”_

**Pigstep was the disc for Techno, it wasn't even a question for me.**

_“If you can focus on both of those at once, they might help you pinpoint wherever we are in the time continuum a bit better. Just follow the pull.” The drone of planes roaring overhead interrupts them, along with a slew of frantic pings from Phil and Techno’s communicators. Phil takes a glance at the screen and grimaces. “Ooh… that’s not good.”_

_“Stay here,” Techno orders, and goes to put on some diamond armor. Phil grabs a crossbow from a chest and starts loading it up._

_“We’ve got company,” he tells Tommy. “Pete’s bringing them down right now. Take these-” he shoves a handful of ender pearls and an invisibility potion into Tommy’s arms. “Use them and get the hell out of here if they find you, okay?”_

**I gave VoiceoverPete a cameo, I didn't watch too much of SMP Earth so I have no clue how important he became in the grand scheme of things. But he's often ignored so I thought might as well include him here.**

_A loud crash sounds above them, the shriek of cold metal against ice and then the boom of an explosion. Techno readies his own crossbow and exchanges glances with Phil. “These fools think they can take us down. Let’s show them the might of the Antarctic Empire.”_

_~_

_Despite the fleet of enemies swarming their base, the battle is over in a manner of minutes._

_Techno dances around the battlefield with his sword in hand, flurries of snow kicking up with every step. His cape flares up as he turns and effortlessly parries an attack, his opponent crumpling and disappearing as he sends them back to spawn. Pete, who’s injured, takes cover near the entrance of the base, while Phil rains down arrows from above as he flies to cover his teammates._

**I remember Pete in MCC but I don't remember if he was good at PVP so I just had him stay out of the fight.**

_Tommy’s never seen anything quite like it. The two warriors return to where Pete and him are waiting, Techno’s mask streaked with blood and Phil’s feathers wind-ruffled, and Tommy just can’t hold back. “Holy shit!” he cries. “That was awesome! Techno, like, 5v1-ed them!”_

_“Eh.” The piglin hybrid shrugs. “It could have been cleaner.” He stoops to pick a loose ender pearl up off the ground when a sickening thwoop sound is heard. Tommy watches in horror as the arrow embeds itself through Techno’s chest, having gotten in at just the right angle through his chestplate, and he collapses in a heap in the snow._

**I know arrows can't one-shot a person but I needed it to be dramatic okay-**

_Tommy freezes, his heart dropping. His body’s not disappearing. It’s not dissolving. That means it’s a canon life- He drops the cape surrounding him and rushes down the cliff towards them, nearly slipping in his haste. There’s a small trickle of blood staining the snow red where Techno has fallen. Panicked, he reaches out, and just as he’s about to shake him and tell him to wake up-_

**He had to drop the cape because otherwise he would have time travelled with it.**

_-the static takes him away, and he ends up in a room full of polished spruce and ticking clocks. Tears pool unshed in the corners of his eyes as he looks around wildly, not quite registering what just happened._

**Spruce was an aesthetic choice while the clocks are both an homage to Wilbur's spiral into insanity and a reference to his interest in studying time travel in this au.**

_There’s a man sitting on the bed, chestnut brown curls and a yellow sweater. He hums and looks up from his guitar. “Hey, Toms, I-” He blinks, seeming to notice Tommy’s distressed state. “Uh oh. Hey, what’s wrong?” With nimble fingers he folds his circular glasses and sets them aside, then pats the bed beside him._

_Tommy doesn’t know him, but he knows Tommy, and that’s good enough for now. He walks forward and lets the stranger embrace him, rubbing his back and murmuring comfort into his ear. The repetitive ticking of the clocks around them and the soothing stroking of his hair eventually calms Tommy down enough that he can think properly. Phil had mentioned Techno before, and that was in the future for sure, so there’s no way Techno is completely dead. Even if that was a canon life, he must have at least one more. So he’s fine. At least, Tommy hopes so._

_Calmer now, the blonde musters the courage to ask, “Who are you?” The stranger raises an eyebrow in confusion, then understanding dawns in his eyes._

_“Ah. This is our first time meeting?” Tommy nods. “In that case…”_

_“I’m Wilbur.”_

_~_

_When Tommy explains why he was so distraught, Wilbur laughs at him._

_“Techno’s fine,” he waves it off, ignoring the irritated glare Tommy sends him. “You want to know how I know?”_

_“Yes, I do in fact want to know. Bitch.”_

_Wilbur rolls his eyes. “Technoblade never dies,” he says. “He physically can’t. If he reaches the point of death, his body regenerates itself. That’s why he didn’t disappear when you saw him get shot.” He continues, “You don’t have to worry about Phil, either. He’s immortal. He does only have one life, but he’s been alive for so long he knows how to take care of himself. Plus he has Techno to throw himself in the way of any danger.”_

**This whole fic was based around the idea of a time traveller and an immortal meeting, but I wanted to make each character unique so they all have their own ways of being immortal. Phil is just constantly in hardcore mode and is the classic 'immortal,' Techno comes back to life when he dies and Wilbur doesn't age but still has 3 canon lives.**

_“What about you?”_

_Wilbur’s lip quirks, as though he’s recalling something distasteful. “You don’t have to worry about me, either,” he says. “I used to work for the Foundation. I’ve seen it all.” He reaches over and ruffles Tommy’s hair, casual as though he’s done it a million times before. It’s nice. Tommy’s never really been around someone long enough for them to feel comfortable doing that. “Plus, I worked for them long enough that I got the perk of being removed from the time stream. So Phil, Techno and I? We’re not going anywhere.”_

_There’s the sound of tapping on glass, and then a messy brown head peeks over the windowsill from outside. “Tommy!” A young kid tumbles through the window, instantly running over to tackle him in a hug. He barely reaches Tommy’s waist._

**I honestly don't know where the idea of having Tommy meet Tubbo for the first time as a kid came from, but I think it worked really well with this fic. Really shows off how short Tubbo's lifespan is in the whole timeline and how conflicted Tommy must be with letting him grow old and die.**

_“Oh, Tubbo,” Wilbur greets with a smile. “Actually, this is Tommy’s first time meeting you!”_

_The kid blinks up at him with wide blue eyes. “Whoa, no way! Wait here-” And he dashes out the door. Tommy gives Wilbur a look, trying to convey why the hell was there a six-year old hugging me to him._

**Are Tubbo's eyes blue? I've seen depictions with brown, green, etc. Honestly I have no clue.**

_The older man shakes his head fondly. “That’s Tubbo. You two are best friends in the future, or so you’ve told us.” He has a best friend? The shock must show on his face because Wilbur shrugs. “I’m sure when he’s older you two will get along great.”_

_Tubbo runs back into the room with a disc tucked under his arm. “Here! This is for you.” He presents it to Tommy, the lime-green strip in the center catching his eye. “You told me it helps you find me,” the brunette explains shyly. “So if I give this to you now, we can hang out more, right?”_

**Originally I had Mellohi as Tubbo's disc and Cat as Wilbur's, but the vibes did not fit at all. Mellohi is a lot more mature and almost has a villainous feel to it which matches Wilbur while Cat is bubbly and positive, definitely Tubbo's type.**

_“Uh… yeah!” Tommy replies, not too stoked about making promises to a toddler. Pleased, Tubbo flops onto the bed and curls up with Wilbur’s blanket. A lightbulb seems to go on above Wilbur’s head at the same moment, and he rummages through the nightstand drawer for something._

_“That reminds me, here is my disc as well,” he says, handing Tommy a purple-lavender striped one. “I hope you don’t have to carry too many of these things around, I know I would lose them almost immediately.”_

_When Tommy moves to put his disc into his bag Tubbo peeks inside curiously. “Aww, you don’t have Chirp yet,” he complains, disappointed. “That one’s my favorite.” Then he reaches up and tugs on Tommy’s sleeve to catch his attention. “Hey, Tommy, can we play Animal Crossing?”_

**This is foreshadowing for when Chirp becomes the disc that Tommy uses to reach the time bubble and eventually the Time Hub where they live happily ever after.**

_“Remember, Tubbo, this is pretty early for him so he might be too tired to play-”_

_“I’ll play,” Tommy interrupts, crouching down to Tubbo’s eye level. He’s not sure what compels him to do so. Young kids are… really not his thing. But Tubbo seems easy enough to get along with, and he does like Animal Crossing…_

_Wilbur raises an eyebrow, then shrugs. “Alright, whatever you say. Just try to keep it down, alright? George and I have a project to finish.”_

**Both George and Wilbur are interested in the theory side of time travel so it made sense to have them working together.**

_Tommy and Tubbo stick out their tongues at the same time, then turn to each other and start laughing. Oh, great, Wilbur thinks. They’re starting their rebellious phase early._

_~_

_So Tommy practices and takes notes (mentally, not physically, because only nerds do that) and eventually he gains enough control over his powers to be able to jump on command. He learns that there’s an order when he focuses on the discs that can help him make it back to a specific time. Wait always goes first because Phil’s been alive for forever, and it doesn’t really help to narrow down the time at all but it does help space-wise. Then Pigstep: the rhythmic beat trudging along helps him locate Techno’s aura, starting somewhere around 200 BD. Mellohi comes next, since Wilbur stays pretty much in L’Manberg, only straying from its boundaries after the country falls into ruin. Finally, he follows Cat if he wants to see Tubbo. The kid is the only one of the four that has a mortal lifespan, and thus he’s the hardest of the bunch to pinpoint._

_Not that Tubbo is a kid in all of their encounters… In fact, he’s older than Tommy most visits. He’s still shorter, though, a point that Tommy finds much amusement in drawing attention to. When he’s not training with Techno, helping out Philza or learning about quantum time theory from Wilbur, he’s hanging out with Tubbo. The brunette loves hearing stories about his travels, from his attempt to visit the beginning of the universe to the time when he fell out of a tree trying to chase an ocelot. In return, Tubbo tells him all about what it’s like to live in L’Manberg, how his day has been, and takes the initiative to introduce him to all the citizens he knows._

_Sam is a builder, and he shows Tommy the many creations he’s made around the city with a beaming grin. Punz lends him a trident once when it rains and watches him as he zips from pool to pool. Skeppy lets them help with a city-wide troll that ends with them running from a very peeved man in a Sonic onesie. Antfrost and his boyfriend Velvet show them the animal sanctuary they run, and they get to spend the day surrounded by cats and dogs._

**Sam appreciation! Punz helped Tommy out in the finale so he got included. Skeppy needed to be introduced ahead of time so he could show up in a Skephalo scene later. I also threw Ant, Velvet and a mention of Connor in there to make the city really come alive.**

_George and Sapnap feel familiar, but Tommy can’t quite put his finger on why. They spend a lot of time at Wilbur’s place so he sees them often; George seems to have an interest in learning about time jumping, while Sapnap is less focused on the theory than on the practice itself. Both of them are nice to him in a detached, older-person kind of way._

**Lol George and Sapnap have a 'when you meet your older sibling's friends' kind of vibe.**

_Then they introduce him to Dream, and everything starts to go downhill._

_The masked man has an aura about him that intimidates the hell out of Tommy. It’s scarily similar to Schlatt’s. Things click when Dream introduces himself as a member of the Foundation. The distorted, trembling feel of his aura… it must have something to do with the way they jump from timeline to timeline._

_Absently, Tommy wonders what his aura must feel like to others._

_“I see you’ve been hanging around here a lot,” Dream comments. No one else seems to notice the tension between them. “You know, I’m a Hunter. Should I be worried about you breaking the rules?”_

_“Pshh, don’t remind me there’s rules or I’ll be tempted to break them.” Tommy meets his gaze with a defiant stare. Behind the mask, Dream huffs._

_“Fine, long as you know. We were going to see a movie, so I’ll finish this talk with you later, ‘kay?” He grabs both of his friends’ hands and leads them down the street, George and Sapnap bickering behind his back._

**Is Dream a hand-holding kind of guy? Idk maybe.**

_So maaaaybe Tommy thinks a little more about breaking the rules after that encounter. Sue him, he’s never been good with authority. Looking at Tubbo, he can’t help but feel the impulse to take his hand and show him all the different places he’s visited, the ones that make his eyes go wide and his mouth hang open as he listens avidly. Plus, if he took Tubbo with him, he’d be removed from the time stream and wouldn’t die of old age. It’s tempting, so tempting, just a little step-_

_But no. Tubbo belongs in this time, in this place. To take him away from the home he knows best, even for a little while… it wouldn’t be right. Plus, he’d be in danger because of the Hunters like Dream._

_Yeah, it’s better if he follows the rules. At least for now._

_~_

_Despite his growing control, there’s still a time limit to how long Tommy can stay in one place at a time, and sometimes he doesn’t have enough focus to direct himself to a specific place. So once, when he fades out and in again, he finds himself at the end of the universe._

_It would almost be mistakable for the beginning if it weren’t for the crumbling ruins dotting the landscape, white concrete and cyan terracotta falling apart around bits of scaffolding. There’s only two auras Tommy can sense nearby, so he follows the trail to a small cottage in the woods._

**White concrete and cyan terracotta (according to Grian) are the staple blocks for a futuristic build. So I went with those.**

_The face that greets him at the door is a familiar one. “Oh! Tommy! Come in, come in!” It’s the demon he met a long, long time ago. He looks… less dangerous than before. Confused, he wanders inside. The interior is much larger than what the exterior would suggest. “It’s been a while since we had guests, as you can probably tell…”_

**The interior being larger than the exterior is a reference to Skeppy's 'I troll BBH with a confusing Minecraft mod' video.**

_Sitting at the kitchen table is another familiar face. Skeppy looks older; there are chips littering his body, and some parts have become cloudier than others. Nevertheless, he greets Tommy with the same mischievous smile he had back in L’Manberg._

**I was going to say he was tarnished but apparently diamonds don't tarnish so :P They do get cloudy though, so I put that instead.**

_“What the fuck,” Tommy says._

_“Language!” The demon chides, and isn’t that hilarious. He used to swear so much, and Tommy tells Skeppy this. The diamond-hybrid doubles over laughing and the demon pouts from where he’s perched on the table._

_“Aww, don’t be angry, Bad,” Skeppy says after he’s finished giggling. He leans over and presses a kiss to the corner of the demon’s mouth. Tommy stares awkwardly as he blushes red and buries his face in his hands._

_“What is going on,” he interrupts. “Why are you here? And for that matter,” he turns to Bad, “why are you here? Aren’t demons supposed to, y’know, hate humans?”_

_Bad uncovers his face and smiles gently, sending such a tender and fond look toward Skeppy that Tommy almost time jumps then and there to stop himself from third-wheeling. “Some people are worth breaking the rules for,” he murmurs._

_And doesn’t that just sum up his dilemma perfectly._

_~_

_In the end, he doesn’t actually mean to break the rules. It just sort of happens._

_The five of them are sitting and eating their steak dinner when an explosion startles them from their seats. Rushing outside, Techno squints up at the sky and grits his teeth as a second explosion echoes through the city, TNT raining from above. Tubbo hides behind Phil and Wilbur, who are both frozen stiff in shock. Panicking, Tommy thinks about what he’s seen in the future, the state of the city, decimated to a crater in the ground from the war. This must be the cause of that._

**I am a firm believer that if given the option, Techno will eat nothing but golden carrots and gapples with the occasional steak. 'They're more efficient,' he says, probably**

_There’s a hissing sound from above, and a pack of TNT lands directly in front of them. There’s no time to think. Techno shouts and raises his shield; Phil winces and pulls Wilbur and Tubbo behind him. Tommy reaches out his hand and winds the threads of their auras together, clutching onto them with a desperate fist._

**Why does Techno have a shield at the dinner table? Why wouldn't he have one.**

_And he yanks._

_The world explodes in a plume of dirt and stone, then they’re laying startled on the ground, mycelium dusting their clothes with fine powder. Colorful buildings surround them, and the largest pile of diamond blocks Tommy’s ever seen sits on a large pedestal nearby._

**The mycelium and diamond blocks are a reference to the early Shopping District in Hermitcraft season 7. This means they've jumped far into the future from the Golden Ages to the Age of Technology.**

_Tubbo groans and holds his head in one hand, taking in the environment. Then the four of them look at Tommy._

_“Oh Notch,” Wilbur mutters, his eyes wide and frantic. “Uh… Now what do we do?”_

_~_

_They explore the island, since there’s not much else they can do. All the buildings seem to be shops, each with a distinct personality. There’s a little raft in a pond, a bookshelf-inspired building, even a honeypot-styled shop made with honey blocks._

**These shops in order are 'The Barge' by Grian, 'Lookie Lookie at my Bookie' by Keralis and the 'Bee Shop' by XisumaVoid, three of the more iconic shops in Hermitcraft season 7.**

_It’s about an hour later when someone shows up._

_“Tommy.” That voice makes his blood run cold. They turn to see Dream standing there, netherite-black axe glinting menacingly. Techno makes to step between them, but Phil holds him back. “Listen. I like you. But rules are rules.” He lowers his stance, ready to strike. “I’ll make it quick.”_

_Quickly, Tommy grabs hold of everyone’s auras once again and tugs them to a new time, depositing them in the middle of a field of sunflowers. Techno and Phil draw swords while Tubbo fumbles with his crossbow, and everyone is tense until Wilbur speaks up._

_“He’s hunting us, but he won’t be able to find us for a while after we jump. No one at the Foundation studies aura tracking. Schlatt thinks it’s stupid.” He crosses his arms and heaves a sigh. “So, what’s the plan?”_

**Schlatt would absolutely ignore a whole field of research because he thinks it's stupid.**

_“We can’t stay in one place too long,” Phil starts, grim determination furrowing his brow. “But Tommy can’t keep jumping with us, either. It takes too much energy. What we need is a place to hunker down while we think of a way to get back into the Foundation’s good graces.”_

_Wilbur hums. “I know a guy. He’s a savant when it comes to time shenanigans. I’m sure he can come up with something. Here,” he hands Tommy another disc, this one striped with a brown-brick color. “Follow the trail to him.”_

**I gave Fundy the Blocks disc and I don't remember the reasoning behind it lol.**

_Closing his eyes, Tommy feels for the aura surrounding the disc and lets it tug him in the direction of its owner. Several seconds later, the warmth of the sun beaming down on them is replaced with the chill of a cave, and the sound of machines whirring._

**This is set late in the timeline, probably during the Cogchamp era (hence the machine sounds).**

_“Wil? What are you doing here, I thought you got kicked out?” An orange-haired man drops down from some scaffolding overhead, fox ears twitching in confusion._

_“Yeah, about that… Fundy, do you think you could help us out a bit? We’ve got a serious problem, and we need a pocket time made. Preferably one with security measures."_

_The fox-hybrid glances over their ragtag group, dusts off his hands and sighs. “Alright, give me the specs.”_

**If there's anyone that can make a pocket time work, its Fundy. That man works magic I swear.**

_~_

_To throw Dream off their trail, Tommy takes Techno and Wilbur with him as they make their way across timelines, leaving Phil and Tubbo behind to work with Fundy. They jump from era to era, spanning centuries with each move. One second they’re at the edge of a coral reef, taking in the salty breeze, the next they’re overlooking a vast striped mesa._

_They come into contact with their hunter every so often, and it’s clear that Dream is frustrated with them constantly giving him the slip because he complains loudly even as he’s shooting arrows and bounding through the trees after them. Wilbur drops TNT in his path to get him off their tail, while Tommy uses a bow to try and hit him from afar. Techno goes so far as to challenge him to a 1v1 and manages to defeat him, leaving him sulking in the middle of the arena and staring at the clock as he upholds his promise to give them a two hour headstart._

**You can tell Dream's not really trying to kill them because whenever he's really trying in manhunt videos he goes completely silent. Him complaining here just proves that he's not trying his best. I always have Wilbur use TNT as a weapon in honor of him blowing up L'Manberg, and Tommy uses a bow here in reference to his duel with Dream at the end of the first war. Techno's fight with him references the Mr. Beast Dream v. Technoblade match.**

_The chase feels like it’s neverending, and it’s exhausting. They always have to be one step ahead, have to be able to get into Dream’s mindset and think what would he do? Tommy can’t get the metallic sweetness of golden carrots out of his mouth from how many they’ve eaten in a bid to keep their stamina up. So it feels like a miracle when they drop by Fundy’s place to check in on the progress and he announces that the time bubble is finally complete._

**I honestly wonder what golden carrots would taste like.**

_“It’s like a little snapshot in time,” he explains, wringing his hands nervously. “Phil said you’re using discs as focus objects, so I tuned this one to the bubble. It’s the only key in and out, so you need to keep it safe.” He hands Tommy a disc striped with bright red that hums soothingly in his hands._

**It's Chirp!**

_Seeing all the expectant and hopeful looks everyone is giving him, Tommy focuses on the disc and prepares to jump. But just as he’s about to let the aura tug him away, a loud crash sounds from outside the cave._

_A torn green sweatshirt and a cracked mask are the first things he sees. Then a pair of smudged white glasses and a dirtied headband. Dream raises a sheepish and guilty hand from where he’s supporting his two exhausted friends. “Fundy, we need your help too.”_

_Fundy pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs heavier than an elephant._

_~_

_“I love them. I couldn’t just leave them.” Sapnap pats Dream’s shoulder comfortingly as he explains what happened while George rests on the couch beside them. Tommy glares at them._

**I swear half the scenes I write with George have him sleeping, this is very in-character.**

_“You’re a fucking hypocrite, y’know that?”_

_Wilbur claps a hand over his mouth and butts in. “What happened to your loyalty to the Foundation, then?”_

_Dream shakes his head. “Schlatt's gone unstable. He’s slashed everyone’s pay, he’s paranoid all the time and his alcohol intake’s gone through the roof. I think after he overthrew you as the director his whole cabinet turned against him.”_

_Everyone turns to look at Wilbur. “Wait, you were the Director of the Foundation?” Tubbo squeaks. “Why didn’t you tell us that?”_

_Wilbur’s eyes darken and he looks away. “It wasn’t a very good time for me, if I’m being honest.” He pauses, takes a contemplative breath. “But if Schlatt is weak, then maybe it’s our time to strike. We can take him down, then we won’t have to worry about any other Hunters coming after us.” He looks Dream in the eyes. “Do you have any insiders you can contact to let them know our plan?”_

_The blonde nods. “Yeah, a few. For now, we should keep a low profile, stay in the bubble. Who knows how many Hunters they’ll send after us now. Not that we need to worry about them too much,” he smirks cockily. “I was the best, anyway.”_

_“And I still beat your ass,” Techno drawls._

_Dream’s back straightens like a hissy cat. “That fight could have gone both ways, you just got lucky!” George mumbles something in his sleep and smacks Dream in the face with his arm to get him to quiet down. “After this is all over, I want a rematch,” the blonde demands in a more hushed voice._

_Techno snorts and offers his hand. “Deal.” They shake on it, then Phil speaks up._

_“Well, let’s check out this time bubble then, shall we?”_

_~_

_The bubble is made of an amalgamation of memories sewn haphazardly together into an image of L’Manberg. It feels similar to a dream with the way the environment feels just the tiniest bit off from real life. There’s a lack of detail to the roads, the trees, that makes it feel engineered and artificial. Still, it is home, and everyone seems happy enough to be back._

**The time bubble isn't perfect because it's built upon the memories of Phil and Tubbo, the two who stayed behind to help Fundy make it.**

_There’s a familiar bench set up so it’s overlooking the edge of the bubble, staring out into the vast emptiness of time, and Tommy finds Tubbo sitting there gazing into the void contemplatively. The lack of wind is strange, but the image he makes is a serene and peaceful one._

**This actually was inspired a bit by the fan portrayals of dream bubbles from Homestuck, which I think are really cool symbols of isolation and wistfulness.**

_“I never thought I’d actually get to see all these different timelines,” Tubbo says as Tommy moves to sit next to him. The blonde ducks his head, guilty._

_“I’m… sorry,” he mutters. The words are hard to get out, but they need to be said. “I dragged you all into this.” Tubbo shakes his head and scooches closer._

_“You saved our lives. I don’t regret a thing. Besides,” he wraps his arms around Tommy’s torso. “Now you don’t have to be alone anymore.”_

_The blonde hesitates for a moment before hugging him back, letting the tension in his arms show his appreciation for him. “Clingy bastard,” he mutters, not meaning it at all._

_A hand comes to rest on his shoulder and he turns to see Wilbur standing behind them. “We’re with you, Tommy,” he reassures. “All of us.” Behind him, Techno and Phil nod in confirmation. Wilbur gives them all a malicious smirk. “Let’s level Schlatt's administration to the ground.”_

_~_

_The plan goes off without a hitch._

_Dream contacts his double agent, a woman by the name of Puffy, and they start recruiting rebels from the Foundation ranks. Meanwhile, Tommy goes back to visit Bad, who happily accepts the offer to help. “I haven’t used these bad boys in a while,” he comments, pulling out a set of netherite throwing knives. His tail waves excitedly in the air. “Time to spread some chaos!”_

**Bad definitely doesn't get enough credit for his combat skills, the man is a professional hunter and absolutely has the capacity to be scary when he needs to be.**

_With Fundy’s help they manage to make a small hole in the Foundation’s time bubble, and then it’s go time. They rush in and head straight for the Director’s office, dodging flaming arrows and the redstone security as they go. The defenders’ attempts are half-hearted at best; it’s clear that everyone is tired of Schlatt and his shit. Even the yellow-winged secretary takes one look at them and waves them forward, leaning back in his chair with a roll of his eyes._

**Quackity cameo in my fic? It's more likely than you think.**

_There are a few loyal followers that guard the office, but they’re easily taken out. Dream and Techno compete to see how many people they can knock out with their respective weapons, while Bad sends the more aggressive fighters back to spawn with a few well-placed knives. A pink-haired woman joins the fight on their side, and Wilbur calls over to her with a grin._

_“Hey, Niki! Told you I’d be back!” She lowers her sword as they approach and nods seriously._

_“Schlatt’s in the Button Room. Make sure he pays for all the problems he’s caused us.”_

**Niki honestly hates Schlatt in canon and I don't blame her.**

_The Button Room is as it implies: a room full of buttons, a sort of control panel for the flow of time. Schlatt’s slumped over on the ground, an empty bottle reeking of alcohol in his hand. He looks up at them with an indifferent gaze and grimaces at the sight of Wilbur. “I knew you’d come back eventually, lover boy. You here to finally take my life, or what?”_

**I may or may not have combined like three different scenes here, the Button Room, Schlatt's death scene and a bit of the Final Control Room. Don't ask me why.**

_It’s shocking to see how much he’s deteriorated since their first meeting. No longer is there any trace of the intimidating man who had floated in front of a volcano speaking passive threats into existence. Instead, there is only a sad ram-horned man with a crumpled suit._

_Wilbur shakes his head and levels a disappointed stare at him. “We’re not here to kill you,” he says. Techno tilts his head as if to say, ehhhhhh…. “We’re here to overthrow you. From now on, you’re no longer the Director.”_

_Schlatt throws his head back and laughs. “Oh, so you’re taking over again? Do I need to remind you that you’re the one that got voted out? If you become the Director,” he drawls, “You’re no better than me. At least I came into power legitimately.”_

_Concerned, Tommy nudges Wilbur in the side with his elbow, and the older man looks around at his found family. “I’m not taking the title of Director,” he states with finality in his voice. “Niki is the most experienced here. She’s qualified to take the job.”_

**Niki appreciation! I'm glad she's getting a larger role in the lore even though she's going through a bit of a villain arc.**

_The ram-hybrid points his bottle loosely at Tommy. “I knew you were going to be trouble. Man… Fine, I’m retired now. Do I get a vacation home? A nice quiet beach hut in the Bahamas or something?”_

_Wilbur sighs and Tommy catches him slipping his backup TNT back into his coat. “I’ll see what I can do.”_

**Wilbur was totally prepared to blow Schlatt up if he didn't surrender. Glad he didn't have to.**

_~_

_Niki is instated as the next Director of the Foundation, and she immediately declares the beginning of a new project. The creation of a “Time Hub,” as she calls it, a neutral place for people who have been displaced from the timeline. She hires Fundy to help with its construction and he seems absolutely stoked to be able to put his technology to good use._

_Puffy and the duck-winged secretary, Quackity, decide to put their efforts towards developing the Hub and enforcing peace throughout the timelines. And if Puffy starts leaving flowers on the new Director’s desk, well… no one’s going to say anything._

**I had to put just a tiny bit of Puffy/Niki in here because they give off flower shop girlfriend vibes and I am here for it.**

_Bad decides to bring Skeppy to the new Time Hub so they can meet other immortals like them. They build a nice mansion and become notorious for pranking the other citizens of the Hub._

_Schlatt ends up moving to the Hub too, making a house far away from everyone on a nice tropical beach. He still tries to scam some of the others, never quite losing his business sense, but he stays out of any trouble, claiming that he’s “too old for this shit.”_

_Dream keeps his job as a Foundation Hunter, but under the new rules he’s only allowed to target actual criminals and threats to the Foundation. He pouts for a while since that means he won’t be getting action very frequently, but he perks up when Niki offers to hire George and Sapnap on as Hunters as well. They quickly form a tightly knit squad called the Dream Team that only gets sent out on the most top-secret missions._

_Phil accidentally adopts every new arrival to the Hub, including two lost-looking time travellers by the names of Ranboo and Karl. He builds a community house and spends a lot of his time teaching the younger ones how to craft objects and other things._

**Tada! Ranboo and Karl time travellers. Yay!**

_Techno gets offered a job at the Foundation, but he turns it down on account of his dislike for structured power. Instead, he trades for one of their time travel devices and starts making a name for himself as a travelling warrior, often visiting the ‘Tournament era’ to hone his skills._

_Wilbur continues his studies on time and publishes a few books on it, all of which do decently well but not nearly well enough to justify the time he spent making them. So instead he turns them into songs, and lo and behold they skyrocket to the top of the charts instantly. He also occasionally helps Phil out with teaching the time travellers tips on how to control their powers and other tidbits of information that could prove useful to them._

_Tubbo takes inspiration from Wilbur and Fundy and starts doing some research of his own, starting with leadership and bee studies and ending with advanced time-based weapons. No matter how busy he is, though, he always makes time in his week to go on adventures with Tommy or to hang out with him at the bench and listen to Cat._

**Does anyone else ever wonder how Tubbo went from building a house for the bees to making actual nukes or is it just me.**

_And Tommy? Tommy decides to make the most out of his powers and begins to collect all sorts of discs to record his travels. Stal, Strad, Ward and Mall all end up in his collection. He visits the empty plains, the house of 7, the mansion cut in two. He meets a slime-hybrid and even goes back to L’Manberg to save more of its citizens, and brings them all back to the Hub. But whenever the loneliness is beginning to creep in, he knows he can always follow the sweet rhythmic tones of Chirp back to the Hub where his family is waiting for him. He can play hide-and-seek with Phil, can have a go at annoying Techno and Wilbur. When he’s tired he can curl up with Tubbo on the couch, tucked cozily away under a blanket._

**The house of 7 is a reference to Twitch Rivals 7, also known as the stream where Wilbur Tommy and Tubbo went crazy and started a cult during bingo. The mansion cut in two is a reference to Grian's old mansion in Hermitcraft season 7 that is now occupied by Docm77 and Bdubs. The slime-hybrid is obviously Charlie Slimecicle whose content I love so much.**

_Surrounded by the people he loves, he knows he is home at last._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please check out the discord if you're interested in seeing some of the other fics and art that people have submitted for this month's giftswap. There are some amazingly talented creators on the server for sure.


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